Even in a tight economy, high school proms still go on
By Julia Torres Barden CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Lisa Billings/Chesterfield Observer Seventeen-year-old Kiara Williams, a junior at Monacan High School, tries on a prom dress during the Cinderella Dreams event.

Money was no option for Cinderella, whose perfect dress materialized with the wave of her Fairy Godmother's wand. Unfortunately, today's moms don't have the same magical powers. Prom is one of the most expensive occasions in teenage life - even more so when the economy is waning and gas prices are at an all-time high.

In the midst of prom season, that leaves some teens working overtime, stressing over how to make their big nights magical on a shoestring budget. Their strapped parents are brainstorming to find creative ways to turn pumpkins into coaches, as daughters throughout the county search for the perfect Cinderella dress with matching glass slippers.

Chrissy Beavers, a senior at L.C. Bird High School, recently found her fairytale dress, but swallowed hard when she saw its price tag.

"I bought my dress at Sak's for $380, but please let me defend myself!" jokes Chrissy. "I knew the dress was expensive, but I'm modest, and it was really hard to find a modest dress. Sometimes you have to pay a little more to get a classic dress. I bought it with the idea in mind that I could wear it again in college, and I paid for half the dress myself."

Lisa Billings/Chesterfield Observer Kelly Scheps (right) asks for the opinion of her friend, Natascha Landers, and her mom while trying on a prom dress during the Cinderella Dreams event.

Understanding the indulgence in purchasing the dress, she proudly declared, "I'm using a purse I already have, I found my shoes on sale for $13 bucks, spent only $6 on jewelry, and will do my manicure and pedicure myself."

Chrissy added $60 to her budget to have her hair done, bringing her total price tag for the prom to about $500.

Her posse on prom night was led by her boyfriend, Philip, who whisked her away in his 2008 Honda Civic rather than a limousine to save money. They headed off to a big dinner with 18 of their friends at a fancy restaurant downtown, rationalizing the cost of $80 per couple "because a friend in our group has a family relative who works there and got us a deal."

Her mom, Judy Beavers, was initially surprised by the expense of prom. "I did have a little sticker-shock with the dress at first, but she offered to pay for half of it, and so she's been working hard at her job and gives me $20-$30 every two weeks when she gets paid. My husband was okay with the dress, because he trusts her judgment, and he'd rather have her go to the prom looking like a classy young lady."

However, not every family has the financial resources to help shoulder the cost of prom. Many thankful teenage girls brought their moms and grandmothers along to a recent "Cinderella Dreams" event organized by the Midlothian Junior Woman's Club. Through the program, the club asks the community to donate like-new prom dresses and accessories, and then allows teen girls to pick out the gown of their dreams, a pair of matching shoes and even some makeup and jewelry - all for free.

"I think every girl needs to have that time where she feels beautiful and special," explained club member Aleise Matheson. "I don't think anything should stand in the way of that, and I've had moms with tears in their eyes come up to me and say, 'God bless you,' because they are so grateful to have the financial assistance."

"If they didn't have this, I'd have to ask my parents for money, but it would be a 50-50 shot whether I'd get any," said Jenny Park, a senior at Matoaca High School, who received her dress through the Cinderella Dreams program.

Prom mom Bernice McGee echoes that sentiment. She brought her daughter, Crystal Bellamy, a sophomore at Manchester High School, to the event after "one of my coworkers told me she knew where I could get a cheap dress. Cheap is good right now because the economy sucks!"

The free price tag for the dresses was so enticing that Gail Vaughn dragged her daughter, Whitney, all the way up from Henderson, N.C., to seek out a prom gown.

"Instead of going local, I realized that it would still be less expensive for me to spend $60 in gas and make a donation to a worthy cause," referencing the $5 suggested fee to cover expenses for the Cinderella Dreams event.

Kelly Scheps, a senior at James River High School, brought her mom, Carol Scheps, to the event along with her friend and classmate, Natascha Landers, praying the night before that she would secure the dress she'd spotted while helping to set up the event. Luck (and maybe her Fairy Godmother) were on her side because she found the dress, tried it on and it fit perfectly.

Kelly's prom night won't be so perfect, however, since her boyfriend is leaving for Army basic training before the big night. Trying to stay upbeat, she twirled around in her perfect dress, as her mom looked on. "We came here looking for her dream dress, and she found it!" said Carol Scheps. "Our budget played a role in coming here, because there sure are a lot of senior-related expenses."

In the end, it was a good thing that Chrissy had the determination and the means to buy her dream dress. She was stunned to be named Prom Queen at the 2008 L.C. Bird High School Prom. "It was even more important to be in the dress that made me feel confident and beautiful while I was dancing with the Prom King," said Chrissy.

As the assistant manager of an ice cream shop, Chrissy says she's learned a valuable lesson about money as she prepares to leave high school and head out on her own. "I think especially now with the current economic situation, I've learned more about budgeting and setting long-term financial goals," she said. "And, I do believe my dress was worth it!" Have a story idea? E-mail it to idea@chesterfifieldobserver.com